I'm very behind with posts because John, who is here until tomorrow, has had so much in mind to experience that we have been on a fast track. The way that translates is that we were only in Oxford two nights and now for his final two nights we are back in London. Checkout, travel, checking in, consumes an entire day. And because a dense English fog settled upon us, I had no real photo opportunities!

We stayed in an ultra modern apartment in Oxford. It was 3 stories above the ground and it was extremely posh. The only problem was that we had accumulated a huge amount of laundry and although the apartment was fitted with a combination washer/dryer, an average wash cycle took 2.5 hours. I spent most of my time doing laundry and knitting. Please don't think I'm complaining. I really enjoyed the "being" verses sightseeing. Downtime is important too, and downtime in England is certainly a gift! As an aside, I became even more aware of how spoiled I am with my maximum efficiency home appliances.

We did manage to see the University at dusk. We are at 51 N latitude and by about 3:45 it's too dark for photos. Larry snapped some good phone photos, which I will try to gather for another post.

Anyway, at least I snapped a few foggy morning photos of interesting Oxford alleyway doors.

John took the train back to London whilst Larry and I had a slow and go drive. By the time we arrived at our London apartment last night it was totally dark. Schlepping copious baggage to the seventh floor was somewhat embarrassing and awkward. Then we had to find a car park about a half mile away and walk back. A fun part of that adventure was walking a bridge across the River Thames, even in the dark. The apartment was very cold upon arrival and we had a difficult time negotiating the thermostats. We also ran out of hot water. However, this has been our only minor bump in the road, and after lots of communication with the owner and a visit from a building technician this morning, we got it sorted. He called us "Colonials", obviously a bit of a dig.

Morning views. Much less fog, thankfully. We are perched above the River Thames. The Thames is a tidal river, and this morning it was low.

Can you see the guy rowing?

We have a 180 degree panorama from the balcony so you can see the high density housing in this slice of London.

Residential and commercial properties coexist.

Building styles that span the spectrum of classic to modern are packed tightly together in most parts of London. Only in the most high-end boroughs did I notice a sense of controlled zoning.

London is even more high density than Seattle or Los Angeles, which is almost startling. Although I feel overwhelmed because urban life is not my norm, residential life in the greater London area seems to have a smooth flow as far as I can tell. Obviously one readily understands and adapts to whatever they grow up with or into.

The more expensive developments come with a patch of green.

This apartment building has a huge local retail chain, Sainsbury's on the ground floor. It's kind of like a mega Target that is heavily weighted toward grocery. Larry and John are attending a professional football game this afternoon so I will have a lots of time to browse.

Happy New Year to each of you. Thanks for spending part of 2016 with Remnant!

Tired of me yet? I can't stop photographing phone booths. This collection resembles tin soldiers all in a row.

Today another item ticked off the list; a double-decker bus ride. We rode to Covent Garden because on prior visits many years ago, it was a favorite day trip. However, it was so crowded and had changed so much that I was enormously let down. On the other hand, strolling and browsing the surrounding area was a happy thing to do, and as always with camera in hand. I managed to preserve a few visual snippets of our day.

This was a less congested street actually. I'm not a good street photographer and I'm not comfortable in crowds. I am a good Starbucks spotter though and finally I managed to get a London coffee mug.

Predictably jammed.

Epitome of refinement though above my pay grade.

Notice if you will the mannequins in the upper windows! They look bedraggled.

A refreshing pause.

Ubiquitous.

I need to pack now for our check-out tomorrow. Activities on the docket include a Winston Churchill tour via private car with scholarly guide. And then back to Oxford for a more in depth explore.

Best British-English moment today~ I actually heard a shopkeeper explain to her colleague that she was rearranging "bits and bobs" in the shop window. Love!

Hello my friends. I'm back with a new post; short on text but with a reasonable inventory of photos from today's stroll-about. We are staying at a hotel that is only a short distance from Victoria Station. However, I was in strong need of exercise so we decided to walk rather than ride. Clearly I chose the wrong coat upon setting out, and I paid dearly for that mistake. Tomorrow I will overcompensate even if I appear foolish. I tolerate poorly outdoor activity in temperatures below 55 degrees F. And despite the welcomed sunshine, the air grew steadily colder. By the time we returned to our room at 4:30 it was only 45ish and windy.

This is Boxing Day, which has been likened to our Black Friday. But based on personal observation, I would suggest that it was a bigger day for the tourism industry than for retail. Many shops and restaurants were closed, along with government buildings and banks. Even the dinner menu at the local pub was limited and entitled Bank Holiday.

The streets were teeming with international visitors and so were all notable landmarks. The paths through St. James Park were congested and picture taking was awkward.

Conditions were however favorable for the local bird and waterfowl population. Visitors to the park were eager to share bits of bread and such with birds of a feather.

Wow! One serious gull!

Photo credit: John Bishop

Here are a few of the sights that captured my focus today. I hope you enjoy strolling them with me~

Buckingham Palace. There were only three sentries in front which indicates that the Queen was not in residence.

I wonder what the application process is for this job. I also wonder if this is a lifelong aspiration.

Queen Victoria Memorial

A moody photo of Big Ben.

The updated, aerodynamic version of a timeless British treasure.

The classic phone booth against a modern backdrop. London sports an eclectic cityscape.

Jet lag update... some days are better than others. The good news~ I think by the time we need to return home I will have adjusted.

Merry Christmas friends everywhere. Larry and I have indulged in a lovely trip to and around England and its pastoral countryside. We arrived at London's Heathrow airport on Tuesday, rented a car on Wednesday, and headed south and west. We have been in a small seaside town, population 11,000 for three nights in what I would call an adorable 3 story townhouse. My dear friend sent me a message of small correction yesterday to say that in the U.K. the first floor is referred to as the main or ground floor, with the first and second floors above. Our kitchen is on the main therefore, living room on the first floor and the bedroom and bathroom on top.

Try as I might to conquer jet lag, it is conquering me. I am awake each night until 3 AM! I've followed all of Rick Steeves' suggestions yet I'm only barely alive. His final thought was to use a sleep aid, so tomorrow I will consider that option.

Truly friends I am too tired to do anything but share photos with you tonight. We have seen such iconic vistas~ from the rugged English Channelto the Bodmin Moor. I hope you have a moment or two to browse my snapshots.

Today we drove from Devon to Cornwall and back. The weather was predictably wet and windy, and the day length extremely short, so picture taking was just not possible. However, tomorrow we are driving to Oxford. With any luck I'll have more to share soon.

Merry Christmas friends everywhere. Larry and I have indulged in a lovely trip to and around England and its pastoral countryside. We arrived at London's Heathrow airport on Tuesday, rented a car on Wednesday, and headed south and west. We have been in a small seaside town, population 11,000 for three nights in what I would call an adorable 3 story townhouse. My dear friend sent me a message of small correction yesterday to say that in the U.K. the first floor is referred to as the main or ground floor, with the first and second floors above. Our kitchen is on the main therefore, living room on the first floor and the bedroom and bathroom on top.

Try as I might to conquer jet lag, it is conquering me. I am awake each night until 3 AM! I've followed all of Rick Steeves' suggestions yet I'm only barely alive. His final thought was to use a sleep aid, so tomorrow I will consider that option.

Truly friends I am too tired to do anything but share photos with you tonight. We have seen such iconic vistas~ from the rugged English Channelto the Bodmin Moor. I hope you have a moment or two to browse my snapshots.

Today we drove from Devon to Cornwall and back. The weather was predictably wet and windy, and the day length extremely short, so picture taking was just not possible. However, tomorrow we are driving to Oxford. With any luck I'll have more to share soon.

About Us

We are a well-seasoned, adventurous couple walking hand-in-hand along life's path. Together we pursue an art form ~ resourceful creativity. Our small island homestead in Northwest Washington State is an expression of this pursuit. I have ideas and Larry makes them happen.

I am a free-spirited photographer and lifestyle blogger who sees art in ordinary things. Larry is a degreed mechanical engineer, whose commitment to military service led to a lengthy career as an airline pilot. Yes, opposites attract! And as our blog hopefully reflects, we have managed to make a fine mesh of things for more than 35 years.

Larry and I have created a collection of handmade home accents made primarily from natural, up-cycled, and thrifted remnants. These pieces will occasionally be featured here and available for purchase in our Etsy shop.

Welcome!

So too, at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace.Romans 11:5